Press Releases

Mubadala Launches Bayanat for Mapping & Surveying

Former Military Survey Department (MSD) launched as a commercial entity.

15 February 2011

Former Military Survey Department (MSD) launched as a commercial entity.

Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) today announced the launch of Bayanat for Mapping and Surveying Services - Bayanat LLC (Bayanat), an Abu Dhabi based company that is set to become a national leader in surveying, mapping and geospatial information services.

Bayanat will provide end-to-end and customized geospatial data products and services such as land surveys; aerial photography; map production; nautical charts; and geographic information system (GIS) analysis that covers the whole of the United Arab Emirates.

The new company leverages 35 years of experience and the proven track record of the Military Survey Department, a critical support service unit in the UAE Armed Forces. It will now extend its service offering to public sector institutions, private companies and other military organizations in the GCC. Bayanat will continue to serve the UAE Armed Forces as its primary client.

Bayanat is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mubadala. It forms part of the company’s Services Ventures Unit, which develops and manages businesses across services industries such as financial services; logistics and transportation; and defense, to support the development and diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy.

Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Chief Operating Officer, Mubadala Development Company said; “Enhancing the offering of the critical support services necessary for companies to develop and grow is an important part of Mubadala’s vision to act as a catalyst for economic diversification. Against a backdrop of rapid development in the UAE, Bayanat’s comprehensive offering will enable businesses to take advantage of the latest customized geospatial data to facilitate strategic planning; day to day business activities; and the development of new and innovative services across a range of industry sectors.”

Major General Dr. Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Chief of Logistics Staff of the UAE Armed Forces and former head of MSD, said; “The commercialization of MSD is part of the UAE Armed Forces’ wider strategy to outsource certain services in order to optimize core operations. The transition of MSD to Bayanat, performed in close collaboration with Mubadala, is a testament to the exceptional work carried out by the MSD employees over the years and it is extremely rewarding to see the ambitious vision to transform this department into a commercial operation become a reality.”

H.E. Rashed Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Board of Bayanat, added: “I am delighted to build upon MSD’s strong heritage and well established track record with this newly formed commercial entity. We have a clear vision to be the national leader in mapping, surveying and innovative geospatial information services. We look forward to leveraging the latest technology and the expertise of our team to provide our clients with the most comprehensive geospatial solutions offering in the market.”

Bayanat plans to strengthen its existing capabilities by investing in excess of AED 50 million in critical IT infrastructure and state-of-the-art technology. This additional investment alongside existing assets such as the latest high resolution aerial digital camera; the world’s first deployed Bathymetric LiDAR scanners; and one of the largest printing presses in the region, will significantly advance its offering and provide customers with the most accurate and up-to-date geospatial data available in the market. The company plans to leverage the expertise of MSD’s existing employees as well as recruiting new talent and investing in training and development to ensure that Bayanat remains at the forefront of the latest trends in geospatial technology.

About Bayanat

Bayanat is a leader in geospatial data services and a trusted long-term strategic partner to the UAE Armed Forces and various governmental entities and private companies in the UAE, as well as potentially other Armed Forces in the GCC. The company’s mission focuses on enabling its partners to meet their business challenges through deploying innovative and robust geospatial solutions and services tailor-made to their unique requirements.

Bayanat’s strategic direction extends beyond the commercial boundaries of conventional surveying organizations by focusing on developing national frameworks and infrastructures for geospatial data, coordinating and supporting related initiatives and activities and sharing and transferring relevant knowledge. Bayanat will deploy its knowledge and expertise to contribute to the national and regional economies through:

Coordinating geospatial data activities in the country and beyond the UAE’s borders.

Provision of UAE-wide fundamental spatial data to form the cornerstone of an infrastructure of decision-support applications.

Creation of education and awareness programs on utilization of geospatial data.

Providing high quality digital base maps and spatial data covering the UAE’s land and water.

Supporting national standards for spatial coordinate reference systems and data.

About Mubadala Development Company

Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) is a catalyst for the economic diversification of Abu Dhabi. Established and owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi, the company’s strategy is built on the creation of partnerships and on long-term, capital-intensive investments that deliver strong financial returns and tangible social benefits for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and that contribute to the growth and diversification of its economy.

Mubadala brings together and manages a multi-billion dollar portfolio of local, regional and international investments and partners with leading global organizations to operate businesses across a wide range of industry sectors. These include aerospace, energy, healthcare, information communications and technology, infrastructure, real estate and hospitality, and services ventures.